7 Days Climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Marangu route in 5 days!

Elevation gain: 870 m/ 2,854 ft | Distance: 11 km | Walking time: 5-7 hours.

Our guide will bring you from the hotel to Marangu Gate in the morning, where your climb starts! The first part leads you through coffee and banana plantations and then through untouched rainforest. It can be humid here; therefore it is advisable to wear rain gear. Today’s hike takes a total of five to seven hours then you will reach the first camp: the Mandara huts.

Those who wish can hike in the afternoon to the Maundi crater, a volcanic crater near the Mandara Huts. Of course you can also rest at the hut and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

This is your first day at this altitude. It is therefore strongly recommended to follow the instructions below from here:

1. Drink as much water as possible
2. Take a Diamox pill to relieve the symptoms of altitude sickness if you feel any.

Elevation gain: 1020 m/ 3,346 ft | Distance: 10 km | Walking time: 5-6 hours

From Mandara Huts, the landscape slowly changes from cloud forest to grass plains with some heather and other vegetation. On a clear day you have a beautiful view of Kibo, the highest peak of Kilimanjaro. A little further you can also see Mawenzi, the second summit of Kilimanjaro. The higher you go, the less vegetation can be seen and the more it starts to look like a lunar landscape. The air is also becoming thinner now. A few hours after lunch you can make an acclimatization hike with an ascent of 200 meters and then return to Horombo Huts for dinner and overnight.

Note: The acclimatization walk is an easy hike with a slight rise in altitude. This will accelerate the acclimatization process. The acclimatization hikes are highly recommended as they increase your chances to summit Kilimanjaro by reducing the risk of altitude sickness.

Elevation gain: 980 m/ 3,215 ft | Distance: 10 km | Walking time: 4-8 hours

Today your hike leads through a kind of Alpine desert to a point between the two famous mountain peaks Kibo and Mawenzi. The landscape here is more open and bare and offers less shelter. The hike is quite heavy, but you should try to maintain an appropriate pace to preserve your strength for the summit tomorrow. Our experienced guides will help you with this. You will arrive at Kibo camp for lunch, after which you can relax in preparation for the big day ahead! It is advisable to rest well and drink plenty of water.

Elevation gain: 1195 m/ 3,920 ft | Elevation loss: 2175 m/ 7,135 ft | Distance: 16 km | Walking time: 9-12 hours

At night you start your ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa! Until sunrise you will use your flashlight. The biggest challenge lies in the first part of this climb. There will be one personal guide per two climbers, in order to closely monitor and evaluate the climbers’ physical and mental state. After a steep path you will reach Gilman’s Point. From here, Uhuru Peak is not far away, and relatively easy to climb. Once you reach the summit you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise, which is quite impressive at this height!

After a small party at the top, you return to the Kibo Huts before descending further for dinner and overnight at Horombo huts. In total you will be on your feet for about twelve hours today, so prepare yourself for a hard day! When descending, pay close attention to where you put your feet to prevent any injury.

Elevation loss: 1890 m/ 6,200 ft | Distance: 18 km | Walking time: 5-6 hours

Today you descend to Marangu gate, the exit of Kilimanjaro National Park. This is a wonderful five to six hour walk through the beautiful forests of Kilimanjaro.

After the descent, the whole group comes together to congratulate each other then transfer to your hotel.

Today you can relax at the lodge or explore the surrounding area. You can choose to extend your journey with a beautiful Tanzania Safari. Another option is to relax on the tropical Zanzibar Island or one of the other exotic beach destinations Pemba Island and Mafia Island. If you choose to go home after your Kilimanjaro trek, you will fly back home on day 8